Improvement in the construction of fire-arms



B. F. SMITH.

Muzzle-Loading Fire-Arm. I

Patented Dec. 5, 1839.

Urvrren STATES ATENT Frien BENJ. F. SMITH, OF SOUTH HADLEY,MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. LQZZZ, dated December5, 1839.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SMITH, of South Hadley, in the county ofHampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented, constructed,and applied to use a new and useful Improvement in the Construction ofFire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full andexact description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings hereunto annexed, Figure 1 represents an external viewof that partof the gun to which myimprovementis attached, and exhibitingso much of my improvement and lock as is ordinarily seen. Fig. 2exhibits a sectional view of the stock and an outer view of the lock asplaced within the same. barrel and lock, showing its internalarrangement and combination; Fig. at, an enlarged view of thespur-lever, springs, and spur; Fig. 5, a top view of the set; Fig. 6,the trigger; Fig. 7, the tumbler, and stirrup which connects it with themainspring.

The principal feature in which this gun varies from those in common useconsists in igniting the charge within the cartridge with which the gunis loaded. These cartridges are formed in the following manner: Theouter casing, a, Fig. 3, consists of paper, formed to suit the caliberin the usual manner. \Vithin this casing, and at the bottom, is placedthe quantity of powder 22 necessary for the charge. Above and next tothe powder is placed the torpedo or wad 0. Into the center of the lowerend of this torpedo is inserted a small quantity of percussion-paste orother substance, which ignites by being pierced with the point of aneedle. This torpedo is formed of paper, wood, or other suitablesubstance. Above this torpedo is placed the shot or ball d, and thepaper secured over the end of the same, and the cartridge is complete.These cartridges are formed in size so as to admit of the gun beingloaded without the use of a rod, and when placed in their properposition within the barrel of the gun they are secured by means of aspur, as hereinafter described.

Having given this brief description of the general principle, I nowproceed to particularize the various parts, many of which are old. Tosuch I make no claim.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the I In the description the sameletters of reference refer to the same parts in the different figures.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, A represents the stock; B, Figs. 1, 2, 3,the barrel. The upper surface of this gun is perfectly plain and smoothwithout projections. All that is seen of the lock is attached to theunder side, as seen at Fig. 1. The breech-pin 0, Figs. 2, 3, is attachedto the breech of the barrel by means of a screw being formed on theouter surface of that part which enters the barrel in the usual manner.On the inner end of this pin there is formed or attached in anyconveient manner a small projecting tube, D, exextending into the barrelas far as is necessary, to form a suitable receptacle around it for dirtthat may accumulate within the chamber of the barrel. Having thus formedadepot for the dirt accumulated, each successive cartridge is receivedand held on the point of the tube in precisely the same position. The upper surface of that part of the pin that is witl1- out the barrel isbent and secured to the stock in the ordinary manner. Near the center ofthis projection,on the underside, asmallstand, E, projects downwardlyand supports the outer end of the spindle orlarg'e part ofthe needle F,as shown at Fig. 2. The inner end ofthis spindle has for its guide thecenter of the pin, as shown at Fig. 3. From the inner end of thisspindle projects the needle G, which ignites the charge. This needle hasfor its guide the tube D, as shown at Fig. 3. The needle may be formedfrom the inner end of the spindle, or attached thereto in any applicablemanner. The method here used is by forming a hole the size of the needlethrough the entire length of the spindle, excepting so much ofthe outerend as is occupied by the head of the needle and inner end of the screwH, Fig. 3. The aperture formed for the screw being larger than that ofthe needle, the head of the needle is received within the spindle andprevented from entering farther than the bottom of this aperture by theshoulder formed by the different diameters of the two concentric circlesformed by the juncture of the differentsized apertures. The needle beingin serted within the spindle, the screw is applied, thus confining itfirmly within the spindle, as at Fig. 3. Near the center of the spindlea Figs. 2, 3.

tached to this arm, upon the under side, is a plate, M, which covers apart of the beforementioned opening, and is on a line with the underpart of the stock, and forms the external finish of that part of thelock, as shown at The hand-lcver K being in its ordinary positionagainst the stock of the gun, as at Fig. 1, is brought down, as at Fig.3, by means of hand. 0, Figs. 2, 3, 8. By this movement of the lever thelower or back projection, c, on thciir ncr end acts upon the front oradjacent part of the tumbler f, forcing it up by turning on its fulcrum0, withdrawing the needle from the barrel, and this operation havingcocked the gun it is retained in that position by the catch 9 on thetrigger N acting upon a re versed catch, h, on the tumbler. Adjacent tothe trigger is a stirrup, j, projecting upward, and forming theconnecting-link between the tumbler and mainspring L, as at Figs. 2, 3,7, in the ordinary manner. Back of the trigger is the set O,which isused to prevent accident al discharge of the gun. Its upper surface isrepresented at Fig. 5. This set moves freely on its fulcrum at 0, and byhaving a notch formed in the front end, and by bringing the long partover the trigger, its action is arrested by removing the long part. Thenotch allows free action to the trigger for discharging the piece atpleasure. Over the set, andconfined by the same screw that forms thefulcrum for the set, a small spring, P, is placed, which acts upon thetrigger to keep it in contact with the tumbler. Beneath the barrel ofthe gun is placed the spur-lever Q, having its fulcrum at the,,sn1allstand n, which connects it with the barrel. At the forward end isattached This lever has its fulcrum at 1 I l g l the spur, which entersthe barrel and confines the cartridge. This spur is not firmly affixed,but susceptible of a slight movement, to allow it free action withoutbinding. The opposite end of the lever is bent upward, and is operatedand moved upward by the hand-1e ver. When the lever K is removed, it isforced down by the spring 2', as shown at Figs. 2, 3, 4. Should theresistance against the spur be such as to prevent the lever fromreturning and bringing the hand-lever to its place, a small spring, k,is attached to the under side of the lever, and acts only when the leveris arrested. This spring is just sufficient in strength to bring thehand-lever to its place against the stock. There may be applied a springand catch for holding this lever, and the small spring dispensed with.

The method ofloading is performed by bringing the hand-lever from itsposition at Fig. l to the position at Fig. 3. By this movement theneedle and spur are withdrawn and the gun cocked. \Vhilc in this statethe cartridge isinserted, the hand-lever is then replaced, and thespring i forces the spur against and confines the cartridge. It is thenready to be discharged in the usual manner.

Having thus described the construction and operation of myimproved gun,I now proceed to point out those parts that are of my own in vention.

I do not claim, separately, the needle for igniting the charge or thespur for holding the cartridge; but

I do claim 1. The combination of the needle and tumbler, and thecombination of the spur, horizontal lever, and tumbler, as hereindescribed.

2. The peculiar construction of the handlever, by which it operates uponthe tumbler and spring end of the horizontal lever at the same time, forthe purposes of removing the needle and spur, so as to admit thecartridge and cocking the gun at the same operation, as hereindescribed.

BENJ. F. SMITH.

lVitnesses:

EDWARD S. hTAY, LEvI TAYLOR.

